THE DAILY WHIP: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2013

H.Res. 140 – Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 678 – Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act (Rep. Tipton – Natural Resources) (One Hour of Debate). The Rules committee has recommended a modified open Rule that provides for one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Natural Resources. The Rule allows any amendment submitted and printed in the Congressional Record, at least one day prior to the day of consideration on the Floor. It allows pro forma amendments and waives all points of order against the legislation. The Rule also provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. There were 3 amendments submitted and printed in the Congressional Record.

H.R. 678 – Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development Act (Rep. Tipton – Natural Resources) (One Hour of Debate). This bill amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to allow private development and private or local management of small conduit hydropower at Bureau of Reclamation facilities. The bill contains a controversial provision that would exempt these small-scale hydropower projects from review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Despite Republicans’ claims, the bill is not a comprehensive jobs plan and will do nothing to put Americans back to work or grow the economy.

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOKThe GOP Leadership has announced the following schedule for Thursday, April 11: The House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. The House is expected to begin consideration of H.R. 1120 – Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act (Rep. Roe – Education and Workforce) (Subject to a Rule).

The Daily Quote

“Momentum is building among Republican lawmakers for legislation to prevent a credit default by the United States, suggesting they will fight hard for spending cuts when Congress debates another increase in the nation's debt limit this summer. More than 60 fiscal conservatives in the House of Representatives now support so-called ‘prioritization’ legislation… The legislation is seen as an attempt by fiscal conservatives in the House to show they are prepared for brinkmanship as Congress and the White House debate the debt ceiling in the coming months…. Under the Republican approach, if the U.S. Treasury reached the debt limit - possibly by late July or early August - the government could continue making payments to Chinese creditors and other bondholders before making other payments such as Social Security retirement benefits and military salaries.”